Protecting People From Surprise Medical Bills Act Introduced

On June 26, H.R. 3502, the Protecting People Surprise Medical Bills Act, was introduced. Sponsored by Raul Ruiz, MD, (D-Calif.) and Phil Roe, MD, (R-Tenn.), this legislation, endorsed by the CNS and the AANS, is modeled after New York’s out-of-network law and would, among other things, establish an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to resolve billing disputes between insurers and providers. Proponents of H.R. 3502 have pointed to the New York law as an example of a successful approach to surprise billing, which has reduced out-of-network billing by 34% compared to neighboring states. Efforts to gain support for H.R. 3502, the preferred solution for surprise medical bills, are ongoing and action in the House Education and Labor and Ways and Means Committees is expected in the fall.